Peer drops c-bomb in the House of Lords after MP goes gangster

Written by Dods staff on 12 January 2018 in Diary

Diary

Watch: Baroness Jenkin was illustrating the abuse faced by some Tory politicians

Politicians have always been prone to swearing, but have tended to avoid dropping the C-bomb in Parliament. That changed this week when Baroness Jenkin quoted the abuse one Conservative Party candidate received in the general election campaign last year.

“Let me give you a real example – one of many,” said the Conservative peer, who is married to Tory MP Bernard Jenkin. "During the election campaign in June the Ealing Central and Acton Conservative candidate was met daily outside her home by a large group of Momentum and Labour activists shouting at her.

She went on: “My lords, this young woman has a young child. How can this be acceptable and how does this not deter other mothers from stepping up?”

Hansard sources said it was the first time the word was used in a speech by a peer or MP in the Chamber since records began over 100 years ago.

It came hot on the heels of more unusual language in the Commons after the SNP’s Hannah Bardell channelled her inner rapper during a Commons debate on trade agreements after Brexit- and one fellow parliamentarian spotted a radical rebranding opportunity.

“I start by commending my home dawg from the east side… my honourable gangster,” purred SNP whip David Linden.